East Stroudsburg school board to decide fate of two elementaries tonight

Monday

Jun 4, 2012 at 12:01 AMJun 4, 2012 at 9:08 AM

The East Stroudsburg Area School Board will vote tonight whether to close either J.M. Hill or Smithfield Elementary. The meeting will take place at 5:30 p.m. in the East Stroudsburg High School South auditorium.

CHRISTINA TATU

For East Stroudsburg resident Kerrie Curtis, J.M. Hill is more than a school.

It's a family tradition.

The mother of 6-year-old J.M. Hill student Caitlyn Curtis attended the school, as did Kerrie's husband and her father.

Now she just hopes her daughter will be able to finish her elementary school years there.

"This is one of the best schools. It's a small school, and everyone knows each other," Curtis said recently after picking up Caitlyn at the end of the school day.

The East Stroudsburg Area School Board will vote tonight whether to close either J.M. Hill or Smithfield Elementary.

The meeting will take place at 5:30 p.m. in the East Stroudsburg High School South auditorium.

The school board held a public hearing on the issue in March. According to state law, officials must wait at least 90 days before making a final decision.

The administration has estimated closing Smithfield would save about $1.57 million in personnel costs, while closing J.M. Hill would save $1.01 million.

Another $50,000 would be saved in operating costs.

"I think it's terrible. The sense of community and hometown feel of this school is great," said parent Jennifer Rice, who was picking up her 7-year-old daughter, Lorynne Paul.

"We walk here every day. I've been in this area all my life. My mom and grandmother went here," Rice said.

Kristie Bedard also picks up her 6-year-old son, Justin, every day.

"I think it's a beautiful school. There's history in it, and I think that's important," she said. "The history is the foundation this town was built on."

Crossing guard Deb McKellick addresses students by name as they wait patiently for the "OK" to cross.

She has worked there since 2009.

"It's so sad. I'm just being optimistic and hoping it doesn't close. It's my job, you know?" McKellick said.

The closure of one of the elementary buildings is being considered as a way to bridge a $10.2 million budget gap.

School officials have already proposed other controversial measures to address the deficit, including enacting a $100 activity fee on all students in seventh through 12th grades who participate in after-school activities.

If J.M. Hill does close, 131 students would be moved to East Stroudsburg Elementary School, and 257 students would be moved to Smithfield Elementary, school officials said.

If Smithfield Elementary were closed, the district would move 57 students to J.M. Hill, 40 students to East Stroudsburg Elementary and 240 students to Middle Smithfield Elementary.

If students were moved to other schools, it would be the end of the close-knit community that parents have grown to love, McKellick explained.

"There's a sense of nostalgia here. There's the history, plus, it's kind of a community thing because the parents all talk and walk here together," she said.